^2:14But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam,⁴⁸ who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block⁴⁹ before the people⁵⁰ of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.⁵¹^2:15In the same way, there are also some among you who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans.⁵²

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Footnotes

49 That is, a cause for sinning. An alternate translation is “who instructed Balak to cause the people of Israel to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols …”
50 Grk “sons,” but the expression υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ (huioi Israēl) is an idiom for the people of Israel as an ethnic entity (see L&N 11.58).
51 Due to the actual events in the OT (Num 22–24; 31:16), πορνεῦσαι (porneusai) is taken to mean “sexual immorality.” πορνεύω 1 states, “engage in illicit sex, to fornicate, to whore … W. φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα ‘eat meat offered to idols’ Rv 2:14, 20.”
52 The term ὁμοίως (homoiōs, “likewise”) is left untranslated because it is quite redundant. See the note on the term Nicolaitans in .

Cross references

48 See Num 22–24; 31:16.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the Israelites: to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. In the same way, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

NLTNew Living Translation

“But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin. In a similar way, you have some Nicolaitans among you who follow the same teaching.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But I have a few things against you: that you have there those who hold fast to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat food sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. So likewise you also have those who hold fast to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

KJV 1900King James Version

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Public Domain